Whitbread (LON:WTB) Stock Price Crosses Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average – What’s Next?

Shares of Whitbread plc (LON:WTB) passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of GBX 2,741 ($37.16) and traded as high as GBX 2,912 ($39.47). Whitbread shares last traded at GBX 2,889 ($39.16), with a volume of 326,442 shares changing hands.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have recently commented on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered shares of Whitbread to a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, March 7th. Shore Capital reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Whitbread in a research report on Thursday, May 1st. Finally, Citigroup decreased their target price on shares of Whitbread from GBX 3,700 ($50.16) to GBX 3,300 ($44.73) and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 15th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of GBX 2,860 ($38.77).

Whitbread Price Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of £5.16 billion, a PE ratio of 22.34, a PEG ratio of -3.09 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a current ratio of 0.96, a quick ratio of 1.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 33.18. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is GBX 2,694.73 and its 200 day simple moving average is GBX 2,741.

Whitbread (LON:WTB) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 1st. The company reported GBX 194.60 ($2.64) EPS for the quarter. Whitbread had a return on equity of 6.83% and a net margin of 8.08%. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Whitbread plc will post 227.1851852 earnings per share for the current year.

Whitbread announced that its Board of Directors has approved a share repurchase plan on Thursday, May 1st that authorizes the company to buyback 0 shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to reacquire shares of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are often a sign that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Activity

In other Whitbread news, insider Kal Atwal bought 269 shares of Whitbread stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 14th. The stock was bought at an average price of GBX 2,843 ($38.54) per share, for a total transaction of £7,647.67 ($10,366.91). Also, insider Dominic Paul sold 3,206 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, May 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 2,790 ($37.82), for a total value of £89,447.40 ($121,251.73). Insiders own 1.03% of the company’s stock.

About Whitbread

Whitbread is the owner of Premier Inn, the UK’s biggest
hotel brand, with 86,000 rooms in over 850 hotels
and a growing presence in Germany with 10,500 rooms in
59 hotels, offering quality accommodation at affordable
prices in great locations.

People are at the heart of our business. We employ over
38,000 team members in over 900 Premier Inn hotels
across the UK and Germany.